Looking for Bismuth Free Liquid Mineral Makeup

My daughter has been using Bare Escentual for the past year. I am now thinking that by using this product it is causing recurring face reddening and severe dermatitis. i cannot believe it. She has always had sensitive skin and thought this was a good product. we have been to the doctors upteen times, steroids, creams, etc. she also a severe reaction to aqueous cream and we are avoiding Ceteryl alcohol and laureth sulphate... i am looking for an alternative foundation to cover up the reddening which is all over her face. Any suggestions?




Our reply

Yes, your daughter is likely having a reaction to the Bismuth Oxychloride that is in most mineral makeup products. In small doses, bismuth is generally not irritating, but it is the high concentrations in most mineral makeups that seem to be causing the problems for so many people. Not all doctors are yet aware of the effect that some chemicals can have on skin.

Your best option is to find a bismuth free mineral foundation that has fewer ingredients to irritate her sensitive skin. So many mineral makeups claim to be less irritating, however the more ingredients they have, the more likely that one of them may cause a reaction.

If you want to go with liquid foundations, there are only two that I am currently aware of (I'm not an expert on mineral makeup) that are bismuth free. I've heard that getting a color with yellow undertones may help to hide redness. The two options I am familiar with to start are:

Cleure liquid foundation

Benefits: free of salicylates and plant allergens, affordable, available worldwide

Drawbacks: This is older product formulation which still has parabens and other ingredients that are no longer in their newer products. (Ingredients list is available at the site)

Jane Iredale Liquid foundation

Benefits: Paraben free and safe ingredients, many people like how this product works

Drawbacks: a more expensive product, contains many botanical ingredients, (which can be allergy producing for some people)

Ingredfients: Water/Eau/Aqua,
Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Algae, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oat Kernel Extract, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Willow Bark Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, White Tea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Radish Root Extract, Carrageenan Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Squalane, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Boron Nitride, Stearic Acid. May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxides, Chromium Oxide Greens.

Even with the perfect mineral makeup, it may take some testing to find the right shade. In terms of liquid foundations, it is really difficult to find non-irritating and non-toxic liquid foundations that also work well.

What I do is to add loose mineral powder to my moisturizing cream to make my own 'liquid' and the ingredients are much safer and easier to control. If your daughter's face is very irritated, you may want choose this option.

The two safest and gentlest, bismuth free loose mineral powders that I have personal experience with are:

Cleure loose mineral foundation

Benefits: very safe, non-irritating, no plant allergens

Drawbacks: These minerals look a little flat to me, even when I mix them with my moisture cream. They work best in combination with the Rice Veil finishing powder to avoid a pale or 'flat' look

Wholesale loose mineral treatment

This product line is really outstanding and I'm not allowed to link to it on my site, however if you request the e-mail tour this will explain some things about the powerful benefits of this product line that I cannot share on my site.

Benefits: This is the best looking of the safe, bismuth free loose mineral makeup I've tried. It provides a more natural finish than most others, and the powder contains many therapeutic ingredients that help to calm skin inflammation.

Drawbacks: They only have four shades available, so you may need to get two shades and mix them. The website only lists wholesale buying options. You can purchase this product retail by calling their telephone ordering system.

I hope this information is helpful! Do you have any other suggestions for bismuth free liquid mineral makeup. If so, please share in our comments section!






Comments for Looking for Bismuth Free Liquid Mineral Makeup

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Jul 28, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Bismuth Free Foundation
by: Anonymous

I have very sensitive skin and broke out from Bare Minerals. It isn't a liquid foundation, but I like using Signature Minerals. It is bismuth and paraben free and cost-effective. I have been using it for about 4 years and have never had a problem.
May 24, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Mineral Makeup without Bismuth Oxychloride
by: Sharon

I am really allergic to Bismuth Oxychloride too, and didn’t find out until I got a horrible rash from using Bare Minerals. Since then I’ve found a good makeup without Bismuth, but it isn’t liquid, it’s a powder called Cosmetics Tinted Makeup. My face is really oily too, and this stops me from looking shiny. I use the Sensitive Powder underneath the Tinted one and it looks really nice. Found these when doing an internet search for mineral makeup without Bismuth, and they have worked great for my skin!
Sep 03, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Best Bismuth Free Liquid Mineral Makeup and Powder for Sensitive Skin
by: Anonymous

Bismuth is a horribe ingredient – I don’t know why so many cosmetic companies use it in their products! I’ve tried several mineral makeups and they all make my face itch like crazy because of the bismuth. A few weeks ago I got an email introducing a new product for sensitive skin called Powder for Sensitive Skin. This isn’t a colored makeup though, it’s transparent & minimizes pores and soaks up facial oil. Sometimes, on days when I don’t need a lot of coverage, I wear it alone and my skin stays matte and redness-free for hours. Got this for $12 and it’s one of my favorite products ever! When I do need coverage because of breakouts, I wear the Powder underneath and over the All Day Liquid Mineral foundation for $27. Neither of these products contain Bismuth or Mica, so they work wonderfully for sensitive skin. The foundation is the best liquid mineral makeup ever. It’s very high pigment, yet light weight, so you don’t need to use much for a flawless face.
Jun 11, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Redness
by: Marcia Szymanel

Be sure you are using a soap free product to wash your face. Also, a green based moisturizer will conteract redness, and help with the irritation. Green counteracts red. La Roche Posay makes several nonsoap products for sensitive, reactive skin that work really well. They may seem a little on the expensive side, but you use less than the size of a dime to wash your face, shoulders and arms, so washing your face uses almost nothing. It foams when water hits it. Wash you face once a day, and just rinse with warm water a second time. I use the cleanser with Toleraine, and also use the moisturizer that goes with it. I also use the moisturizer for red reactive skin on my cheeks, because that is where I have trouble with redness. If you are dealing with atopic dermatitus, or contact dermatitus it is a good idea to keep Aquamil HC on hand to treat it from time to time. These products may seem a little pricey, but a little goes a long way, and end up costing less than a bar of soap in the long run. Bare Essentials powders do not effect my skin that much, but the primers really leave my face red. I use a good amount of moisturizer to act as my primer, and have discontinued use of any primer. I use the hydrating mineral veil, and the brush that comes with it to finish. Rice powder is also an excellent choice, probably better than the hydrating mineral veil. These are all suggestions I have taken from my cosmetic dermatologist, and have put an end to my atopic and contact dermatitus. If your daughter is waxing, or using a dipilatary on her face this may be causing an allergic reaction as well. Using a light stroke with a pencil shaver can help, but I always use the Aquanil HC for several days before, and immediately after, and then for several days to avoid contact dermatitus. Remember, a little bit of make up goes a long ways. Eye make up removers can be harsh, and there is nothing like plain old vaseline in a tube to remove eye make up. Use the tube and not the tub, so you are not putting your fingers into it, and then using again. The tube dispenses just what you need, and nothing in the tube is touched dirty fingers. I hope this helps; I have been dealing with all of these problems, and have found that this plan has worked for me. Good luck to your daughter, this is especially hard for a young person when they just want to fit in with everyone else. Treating your skin well early on will pay off in the long run; I wish I had known some of these things a long time ago.

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